Friday, September 30, 2016

Review: 'Robert Anton Wilson meets Steve 'Fly Agaric' Pratt'

Robert Anton Wilson meets Steve “Fly Agaric” Pratt is really two albums in one: A spoken word album, featuring Pratt's interview with RAW, and a music album, with a soundtrack from the likes of Pratt, Youth (Paul McCartney's "Fireman" partner), Richard Rasa, Tim Egmond, Hagbard Celine and Garaj Mahal. (Pratt, a talented drummer, has played with Garaj Mahal).

The album succeeds on both levels. The music is quite good and you can focus on that if for some reason it is not convenient at the moment to concentrate on the words.

And the interview is meaty: While some of the topics Steve asks about cover familiar topics, he obviously worked hard to come up with new, fresh questions. (It's the only time I've seen or heard anyone ask Wilson, "What is your favorite sound?" This is a substantial interview.

Martin Youth Glover sent a collection of remarkable ambient electronica productions for use in the Cosmic Trigger Play, used here with permission. Thanks Yoof. Garaj Mahal are Kai Eckhardt on Bass, Fareed Haque - Guitar, Alan Hertz - Drums, Eric Levy - Keys, Steve Fly - Turntables. 2005. Hagbard Celine (Ameoba) created a series of ambient works for initiatory purposes, used in the Cosmic Trigger Play. Rick Rasa also kindly contributed some of his delightful ‘starseed’ sitar compositions to the Cosmic Trigger Play. Tim Egmond and Steve Fly have collaborated on dozens of projects and tracks, Tim recorded and engineered and co-edited Mohawk by fly and John Sinclair, plus provided many useful samples used in the Cosmic Trigger Play. Thanks to Daisy and all those who helped the play see light of day, and all those who helped support the musical framework of the interview.

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A daily posting from Tom Jackson about my favorite writer, Robert Anton Wilson. I also seek material by or about Robert Shea, Mr. Wilson's collaborator in writing "Illuminatus!" If you have tips, you may write me at tom.jackson@gmail.com. Please put "Robert Anton Wilson" in the subject line.